Flock depilling machine



April 11, 1950 H. M. RATLEY ET AL FLOCK DEPILLING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 18, 1946 d m INVEN TORS AROLD M. RATLEY BY ALVIN O.LIND

mafia/W ATTORNEYS April 11, 1950 Fild March 18, 1946 H. M. RATLEY ETAL 2,503,633

FLOCK DEPILLING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 'HAROLD M.RATLEY y ALVIN CLIND ATTORNEYS P 1, 1950 H. M. RATLEY ETAL 2,503,633

FLOCK DEPILLING MACHINE Filed March 18, 1946 s Sheets-Sheet s I. '1 INVENTORS H HAROLD M.RATLEY y Auvm cum) A WKW ATTO R N EYS mama Apr. 11, 1950 FLOCK DEPILLING MACHINE Harold M. Ratley, Highland Park, and Alvin C. Lind, Detroit, Mich., assignors to National Automotive Fibres, Inc., Detroit, Mich a corporation of Delaware Application March 18, 1946, Serial No. 655,327 17 Claims. (Cl.19-80) T 1 The invention relatesv generally to machines for making carpet of the cemented pile type and 'refers more particularly to a flock depilling' machine, i. e., a machine having means for breaking up balls, pillstor other objectionable formations of the out fibers so that they maybe distributed downwardly in substantially free and loose condition fromthe machine onto the cement coated surface of the base carpet material. It is, therefore, the primary object of the inoperation.

It is a further object of the invention to perform the depilling directly above the point or points of deposit, preferably above a suitable apparatus through partly in section.-

C and C are vertical openings through the support C and are preferably above the vibrating screen designated by the lines A-A.

D andD' are base plates secured to the support C and surrounding the openings '0 and C and v E and E are casings rigid with the plates D and D and extending downwardly through the openings C and C for conducting the flock to the vibrating screen aforesaid Extending upward .stant invention to accomplish this depilling Y The improved method employed for depilling the flock consists essentially in passing the flock between. rotary brushes which are revolving at differential peripheral speeds and in close proximity to each other. Preferably the flock is, passed in a downward direction between successive'pairs 1 -l dotted lines AA to indicate the position of the vibratory screen in such machine, and dotted lines 3-3 to indicate the plane of travel of the cement coated carpet material.

Preferably two depillin'g devices are supported in parallel relation to each other upon a suit able horizontal support C which, if necessary, may be reinforced by one or more girders C.

from each of the plates D and D is a casing F of rectangular form. Within each casing are two adjacent vertical series of rotary brushes respectively G, G', etc., and H, H, etc. These brushes are preferably formed with wire bristles and the brushes of the G series have relatively short bristles I, while the brushes of the H series have longer bristles I. The brushes in the two series are staggered in relation to each other so that a brush H is peripherally adjacent the two brushes G and G, and so on down through the series.

As above stated, the adjacent brushes between which the material is fed rotate at differential speeds, the slow speed being imparted to the brushes of the series G. G', etc., and the high speed to the brushes H, H, etc. Also in the latter series, the speed is progressively increased from top to bottom, as for instance, 438 R. P. M. for the top brushes in the casings F, 493 R. P. M. for. the next lower brushes, and 522 R. P. M. for the next lower brushes, etc. The brushes of the other series may all be driven at the same low speed, such as 14.84 R. P. M.

Preferably the peripheral clearance between each roll in the G series and the adjacent brush in the H series is approximately .005 inch whereby the wires of the .brushes in the fast rotating H series move close to the wires of the slow rotating brushes in the G series to break up pills, balls, or other formations of the fibers passing downwardly therebetween. In this connection it will be noted that the slow rotating brushes in the G series rotate anti-clockwise while the fast rotating brushes in the H series rotate clockwise whereby the adjacent peripheral portions of the brushes in said series G and H travel in the same direction to project downwardly the fibers passing therebetween.

The driving power for the brushes in each casing F preferably comprises two separate motors J and J which are located between the two casings and are supported upon a frame K.

Each motor J is provided with a transmission J 2 and the driven shaft L of this transmission has a pair of pulleys L and L thereon connected 3 by belts L and L to pulleys M, M for the brushes of the slow rotating series G. Preferably the belt I. passes around pulleys M for the two uppermost brushes G, G. while the belt L passes about pulleys M for the lower brushes G and 6.

Each motor J has directly mounted on its shaft a pair of sprocket wheels N and N. The sprocket wheel N is connected by a chain N with sprocket wheels N and N respectively for the fast rotating brushes H and H. The sprocket wheel N is connected by a chain N with sprocket wheels N" and N respectively on brushes H and H Preferably the speed of the brushes H, H, H and H is progressively increased from top to bottom by providing each succeeding sprocket from top to bottom with a smaller number of teeth. For example, the sprocket N has a smaller number of teeth than the sprocket N; the sprocket N has a smaller number of teeth than the sprocket N With the construction as above described, the balls, pills, etc. of fibers such, for example, as wool fibers, ar fed to each of the casings F of the depillers from the hoppers O at the upper ends thereof. As shown in Fig. 3, an adjustable gate P is provided within each casing F to regulate the quantity of fibers adapted to pass from the slow rotating upper brush G to the fast rotatin upper brush H. The wires of the brush H will move close to the wires of the slow rotating brush G to initially break up pills, balls or other formations of the fibers supplied thereto. Thus, the bristles I will separate some of the fibers of th pills but will yield to permit passage of tangled portions not fully untangled. The process will be repeated in passing the material downwardly between the brushes H and G which produce further separation, and so on down until after discharge from the lowermost brushes (i and H Th completely separated individual fibers will be discharged by the lowermost brushes G and H downward through the casings E and E" onto the vibratory screen represented by the line A-A to be sifted by said screen onto the cement coated surface of the advancing base material represented by the line 3-3.

What we claim as our invention is:

l. A machine for depilling flock comprising a casing, two adjacent vertical series of rotary brushes within said casing, the brushes of one series having longer bristlesthan the brushes of the other series and the adjacent peripheral portions of the brushes in the two series being in close proximity and traveling in the same direction, means for feeding the flock into said casing above the uppermost of said short bristle brushes, and means for rotating the brushes of the two uppermost of said lower speed brushes. and means for rotating the brushes of the two series differentially comprising pairs of motors adjacent to each of said casings. one motor of each pair having its driven shaft rotating at relatively low speed, a transmission between said low speed motor and the series of brushes having the shorter bristles, and a transmission connection between the high speed motor and the brushes having the longer bristles operable to rotate the latter at progressively higher speeds.

3. A machine for depilling fiock comprising a supporting frame, a plurality of casings mounted in spaced relationon said frame, two adjacent vertical series of rotary brushes within each of said casings, the brushes of one series having longer bristles than the brushes of the other series and the adjacent peripheral portions of the brushes in the two series being in close proximity and traveling in the same direction, means for feeding flock into each of said casings above the uppermost of said lower speed brushes, and means for rotating the brushes of the two series differentially comprising two motors adjacent to I each of said casings and having their driven series differentially comprising two motors having their driven shafts rotating respectively at low and at high speeds, a pulley and belt transmission between the low speed motor and the brushes having the short bristles, a sprocket and chain transmission between the high speed motor and the brushes having the long bristles, the

sprockets for the successive brushes having' progressively fewer teeth to drive the same at shafts rotating respectively at low and at high speeds, a pulley and belt transmission between the low speed motor and the brushes having the short bristles, a sprocket and chain transmission between the high speed motor and the brushes having the long bristles, the sprockets for the successive brushes having progressively fewer teethto drive the same at progressively higher speeds, and means connected to the lower end of each of said casings for discharging the material therefrom at spaced positions in relation to a carpet forming machine.

4. A machine for depilling flock comprising a casing, two series of rotary brushes within said casing, the brushes of each series having wire bristles and being in vertical alignment, the brushes of one series being arranged in staggered relation to the brushes of the other series with a predetermined clearance between the peripheral portions of the brushes in the two series, the brushes of one series rotating oppositely to the direction of rotation of the brushes 0! the other series whereby adjacent peripheral portions of the brushes'in said two series travel in the same direction to project downwardly thefiock passing therebetween, means for rotating the brushes in the two series at differential speeds, the rate of rotation of the brushes of one series being progressively increased from top to bottom of said series, and means for feeding flock into the casing so that it will pass successively between the staggeredly arranged differentially rotating brushes.

5. An apparatus for depilling flock having two adjacent vertical series of rotary brushes, the brushes of one series rotating at low speed, the brushes of the other series rotating at relatively high speed, the brushes of the two series being in staggered relation to each other with the brushes of low speed uppermost whereby a high speed brush is peripherally adjacent two low speed brushes, the brushes of low speed having relatively short radially extending bristles, the brushes of high speed having longer bristles, the rate of rotation of the high speed brushes .being progressively increased from top to bottom of the series, the peripheral clearance between the brushes of low speed and the adjacent brushes of high speed being relatively small whereby the bristles of the brushes of high speed move close to the bristles of the brushes of low speed to break up pills, balls or other formations of the flock, the brushes of high speed rotating oppositely to the direction .of rotation of the brushes of low speed whereby adjacent peripheral portions of the brushes in said two series. 7

.travel in the same direction to project downbrushes of high speed having longer bristles, the

rate of rotation of the high speed brushes being progressively increased from top to bottom of the series, the peripheral clearance between the brushes of low speed and the adjacent brushes of high speed being relatively small whereby the bristles of the brushes of high speed move-close to thebristles of the brushes of low speed to break up pills, balls-or other formations of the flock, the brushes of highspeed rotating oppositely to the direction of rotation of the brushes of low speed whereby adjacent peripheral portions of the brushes in said two series travel in the same direction to project downwardly the flock passing therebetween, means for feeding flock to be depilled onto the uppermost low speed brush to be carried thereby to the uppermost high speed brush, and means adjacent the uppermost low speed brush for regulating the quantity of flock to pass therefrom to the uppermost high speed brush. a

7. An apparatus for depilling flock having two adjacent vertical series of rotary brushes, the brushes of one series rotating at low speed, the brushes of the other series rotating at relatively high speed, the brushes of the two series being in staggered relation to each other with the brushes of low speed uppermost whereby a high speed brush is peripherally adjacent two low speed brushes, the brushes of low speed having relatively short radially extending bristles, the brushes of'highspeed having longer bristles, the rate of rotation of the high speed brushes being progressively increased from top to bottom of the series, the peripheral clearance between the brushes of low speed and the adjacent brushes of high speed being relatively small whereby the bristles of the brushes .of high speed move close to the bristles, of the brushes of low speed to break up pills, balls or other formations of the flock, the brushes of high speed rotating oppositely to the direction of rotation of the brushes brushes of low speed uppermost whereby a high speed brush is peripherally adjacent two low speed brushes, the brushes of low speed having relatively short radially extending bristles, the brushes of. higb speed having longer bristles, the rate of rotation of the high speed brush s being progressively increased from top to bottom of the series, the peripheral clearance between the ,brushes of low speed and the adjacent brushes of high speed being relatively small whereby the bristles of the brushes of high speed move close to the bristles of the brushes of. low speed to break up pills, balls or other formations. of the flock, the brushes of high speed rotating oppositely'to the direction of rotation of the brushes of low speed whereby adjacent peripheral portions of the brushes in said two series travel in the same direction to project downwardly the flock passing therebetween, means for feedin flock to be depilled onto the uppermost low speed brush to be carried thereby to the uppermost high speed brush, and means adjustable relative to the upper-most low speed brush for regulating the quanttiy of flock to pass therefrom to the uppermost high speed brush.

9. An apparatus for depilling flock having two adjacent vertical series of rotary brushes, the brushes of one series rotating at low speed, the brushes oi the other series rotating at relatively high speed, thebrushes of the two series being in staggered relation to each other with the brushes of low speed uppermost whereby a high speed brush is peripherally adjacent two low speed brushes, the rate of rotation of the high speed brushes beingprogressively increased from top to bottom of the series, the peripheral clearance betwen the brushes of low speed and the adjacent brushes of high speed being relatively small whereby the bristles of the brushes of high speed move close to the bristles of the brushes I of low speed to breakup pills, balls or other formations of the flock, the brushes of high.

speed rotating oppositely to the direction of rotationvof the brushes of low speed whereby adjacent peripheral portions of the brushes in said two series travel in the same direction to project downwardly the flock passing therebetween.

10. An apparatus for depilling'flock having two adjacent vertical series of rotary brushes, the brushes of one series rotating at low speed, the v brushes of the other seri vs rotating at relatively high speed, the brushes of the two series being of low speed whereby adjacent peripheral portions of the brushes in said two series travel in the same direction to project downwardly the brushes of the other series rotating at relatively high speed, the brushes of the two series being instaggered relation to each'other with the in staggered relation to each other with the brushes of low speed uppermost whereby a high speed brush is peripherally adjacent two low speed brushes, the peripheral clearance between the brushes of low speed and the adjacent brushes of high speed being relatively small whereby the bristles of the brushes of high speed move close to the bristles of the brushes of low 1 speed to break up pills, balls or other formations of the flock, the brushes of high speed rotating oppositely to the direction of rotation of the brushes of low speed whereby adjacent peripheral portions of the brushes in said two series travel in the same direction to project downwardly the flock passing therebetween. m

11. An apparatus for depilling flock having two adjacent vertical series of rotary brushes, the brushes of one series rotating at low speed, the

brushes of the other series rotating at relatively high speed, the brushes of the two series being in staggered relation to each other with the brushes of low speed uppermost whereby a high speed brush is peripherally adjacent two 10w asoaoes 7 speed brushes, the rate of rotation of the high speed brushes being progressively increased from top to bottom of the series, the peripheral clearance between the brushes of low speed and the adjacent brushes oi high speed being relatively small whereby the bristles of the brushes of high speed move close to the bristles of the brushes of low speed to break up pills, balls or other formations oi the flock, the brushes of high speed rotating oppositely to the direction of rotation 01' the brushes of low speed whereby adjacent peripheral portions of the brushes in said two series travel in the same direction to project downwardly the flock passing therebetween, and,

means for feeding flock to be depilled onto the uppermost low speed brush to be carried thereby to the uppermost high speed brush.

12. An apparatus for depilling flock having two adjacent vertical series of rotary brushes, the brushes of one series rotating at low speed, the brushes of the other series rotating at relatively high speed, the brushes of the two series being in staggered relation to each other with the brushes oi low speed uppermost whereby a high speed brush is peripherally adjacent two low speed brushes, the rate of rotation of the high speed brushes being progressively increased from top to bottom of the series, the peripheral clearance between the brushes of low speed and the adjacent brushes of high speed being relatively small whereby the bristles of the brushes or high speed move close to the bristles of the brushes of low speed to break up pills, balls or other formations of the flock, the brushes of high speed rotating oppositely to the direction of rotation of the brushes of low speed whereby adjacent peripheral portions of the brushes in said two series travel in the same direction to project] downwardly the flock passing therebetween,

means for feeding flock to be depilled onto the uppermost low speed brush to be carried thereby to the uppermost high speed brush, and means adjacent the uppermost low speed brush for regulating the quantity of flock to pass therefrom to the uppermost high speed brush.

13. An apparatus for depilling flock having two adjacent vertical series of rotary brushes, the brushes oi the two series being in staggered relation to each other with the brushes of one series uppermost whereby a brush of the other series is peripherally adjacent two brushes of the first mentioned series, the rate of rotation of the brushes of one series being progressively increased from top to bottom of said series, the brushes of both series having radially extending bristles, the peripheral clearance between the brushes of one series and the'adjacent brushes oi the other series being relatively small whereby the bristles of the brushes of said one series move close to the bristles of the brushes of said other series to break up pills, balls or other fromations of the flock, the brushes of one series rotating oppositely to the direction of rotation of the brushes of the other series whereby adjacent peripheral portions of the brushes in said two series travel in the same direction to project downwardly the hook passing therebetween.

14. An apparatus for depilling flock having two adjacent vertical series of rotary brushes, the brushes of the two series being in staggered relation to each other with the brushes of one series uppermost whereby a brush of the other series is peripherally adjacent two brushes of the first mentioned series, the rate 01 rotation of the brushes of one series being progressively in- I creased from top to bottom oi said series the brushes of both series having. radially extending bristles, the peripheral clearance between the brushes of one series and the adjacent brushes of the otherseries being relatively small whereby the bristles of the brushes of said one series move close to the bristles oi the brushes of said other series to break up pills, balls or other formations of the flock, the brushes of one series rotating oppositely to the direction of rotation of the brushes of the other series whereby adjacent peripheral portions of the brushes in said two series travel in the same direction to project downwardly the flock passing therebetween, means for feeding flock to be depilled onto the upermost brush of the first mentioned series to be carried thereby to the uppermost brush of said other series, and means adjacent the uppermost brush of said first mentioned series for regulating the quantity of flock to pass therefrom to the uppermost brush of said other series.

15. Apparatus for depilling flock having an upright casing of substantially rectangular form open at the top and bottom thereof, two adjacent vertical series of rotary brushes within said casing between the open top and bottom thereof, the brushes of one series rotating at low speed, the brushes of the other series rotating at relatively high speed, the brushes of the two series being in staggered relation to each other with the brushes of low speed being uppermost, the

break up pills, balls or other formations oi the flock, the brushes of high speed rotating oppositely to the direction of rotation of the brushes of low speed whereby adjacent peripheral portions of the brushes in said two series travel in the same direction to project downwardly the flock passing therebetween and means for feedingv flock to be depilled onto the uppermost low speed brush to be carried thereby to the uppermost high speed brush, including a hopper directly above and discharging onto the uppermost brush of the low speed series, and an adjustable gate within said casing adjacent said uppermost brush of the low speed series to regulate the quantity of flock adapted to pass from said uppermost brush of the low speed series to the uppermost brush of the high speed series.

16. Apparatus for depilling flock having an upright casing open at the top and bottom thereof, two adjacent vertical series 01 rotary brushes within said casing between the open top and bottom thereof, the brushes of one series rotating at low speed, the brushes of the other series rotating at relatively high speed, the brushes of the twoseries being in staggered relation to each other with the brushes of low speed being uppermost, the peripheral clearance between the brushes of low speed and the adjacent brushes of high speed being relatively small whereby the brushes of high speed move close to the brushes of low speed to break up pills, balls or other formations of the flock, the brushes of high speed rotating oppositely to the direction 01' rotation of the brushes of low speed whereby adjacent peripheral portions of the brushes in said two series travel in the same direction to project downwardly the flock passing therebetween, and means for feeding flock to be depilled onto the uppermost low 'speed brush to be carried thereby to the uppermost high speed'brush.

17. Apparatus for depilling flock having an upright casing open at the top and bottom thereof, two adjacent vertical series of rotary brushes within said casing between the open top and bottom thereof, the brushes of the two series being in staggered relation to each other with the brushes of one series uppermost whereby a brush oi the other series is peripherally adjacent two brushes of said one series, the rate of rotation of the brushes of said other series being progressively increased from top to bottom of said series, the brushes of one series rotating oppositely to the direction of rotation of the brushes of the other series whereby adjacent peripheral portions of the brushes in said two series travel in the same direction to project downasoaoss series.

HAROLD M. RATLEY. ALVIN C.

REFERENCES CITED 10 The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

. v UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name 'Date 15 1,544,964 Wooldridge July 7, 1925 1,875,719 Dornan Sept. 6, 1932 2,300,978 Sheppard Nov. 3, 1942 2,385,781

Faris et a1. "0012. 2, 1945 therebetween, and 

